You are Essential!

This month, we have included articles on brain development, trauma, and anti-bias in the classroom. News reports can be scary for children and even adults. Here is an article from American Academy of Children and Adolescent Psychiatry. It explains how news coverage can negatively effect children and their development and how we can minimize those effects on children. Remember, children may not understand what is discussed around them, but they are able to pick up on the emotions of adults.

We have finished our complete update 2 for this half of the year. In July, we start back on complete update 1. We understand providers are busy and want to minimize your distractions from the children. We will start by sending out a survey with questions about your facility. Please take the few minutes it requires to complete the survey.

Our goal is to be back in the field in July; however, we are still monitoring COVID, and if we feel it is safer to stay home, we will. Health and safety are our main priorities when it comes to training and technical assistance. If you are needing training hours before July, please visit the okregistry. CECPD has been great with offering free trainings for providers. If you are needing help in the classroom before July, please contact your specialist; they may be able to give resources and tips to help until July. If you would like to set up training or technical assistance for you or your facility, please contact your R&R Specialist.

Your R&R Specialist would like to thank you for being an essential part of Oklahoma. Even when the world is devastated with disease, providers are out there watching the children of health care workers, law enforcement, and retail workers. Thank you for being on the frontline in our state.

We hope all our providers are safe and healthy during these difficult and uncertain times. Below are the R&R Staff contact information, we are here for you.

Resource & Referral Director

Kelsey Thomas

kthomas@delawarechild.org

918-766-6758

Resource & Referral Specialist

(Kay, Noble, Washington, & Nowata)

Kristine Abbott

kabbott@delawarechild.org

918-397-3007

Resource & Referral Specialist

(Payne, Logan, Lincoln, Pawnee, and Osage)

Heather Cruz